The invention relates to a fastening arrangement for an airbag module in motor vehicles, wherein the gas generator of the airbag module is fastened by means of at least one stay bolt and a nut screwed thereupon, the bolt being designed for the gas generator and penetrating through at least one hole of a retaining member that serves for mounting the airbag module and fastening to a vehicle part.
This general type of fastening arrangement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,486 A for an airbag module fastened to a car seat, wherein stay bolts, which pierce the wall of a post of the seat structure and are fastened thereto by nuts, are attached to the gas generator housing. In this application in car seats, still other electrically operated and controlled components, like retractor, seatbelt tensioner and the like, are often provided and preferably fastened to the integrated seat structure. The problem can appear in the known fastening arrangements for an airbag module, that spurious electrical currents can flow to the gas generator and to its ignition mechanism across the seat structure and the stay bolts of the gas generator giving rise to the possibility of a spurious release of gas from the gas generator. Since these types of spurious releases are undesirable, it is the objective of the invention to provide a fastening arrangement of the aforementioned type that spurious release is prevented.
The solution of this objective, including advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention, is achieved in accordance with this invention.
In its basic idea, the invention provides that an electrical insulation is provided between gas generator and a vehicle part. In an advantageous manner, it is thereby precluded that arising electrical currents are insulated from reaching the gas generator and its ignition mechanism.